'Old Man River'

Ever since the first person set eyes on the Mississippi River, the power of the river has helped to build and destroy settlements and cities. It has served as a source of life and food and a highway from north to south. It has also gripped imaginations, launched amazing journeys, and inspired music, art and literature. Paul Schneider is one of the most recent writers to fall under the thrall of the Mississippi. His latest book is “Old Man River: The Mississippi River in North American History.”